Scotch Whisky Brand The Macallan Brings a Chatbot to Facebook

Chatbots are the hottest thing in technology right now, and we humans had better get used to them. They’re not disappearing into the wires anytime soon.

There when you need them most, your newest virtual friends. Attending to your every need. Predicting what you want before you know you want it. Friendly and informative at every turn. Say hello, chatbot.

Customer Care and Creative Content

It’s the plan of tech developers and retailers that chatbots will take the place of human customer service reps, radically reducing call center investments. And it’s not out of the realm of possibility that chatbots will replace 800 number calls with better and more efficient customer service experiences. They could also improve the overall shopping experience for consumers by offering up relevant content, saving time and making buying decisions much quicker.

Because of its size and technology marketplace gravitas, Facebook has unsurprisingly jumped headfirst into the chatbot pool. And one of its most interesting customer uses is for Scotch whisky brand Macallan. Macallan wants better connections with consumers, especially Millennials, and has opted to meet them with the technology they’ll openly embrace. The hope is that they will also embrace Macallan as their scotch of choice.

Macallan is using Instagram to promote their handy new chatbot. Source.

So, what exactly does a chatbot for a fine Scotch whisky do? Quite simply, it answers questions about the product and then encourages a purchase. Macallan knows that Millennials, its target market, live for new technology trends, so the brand has decided to create top of mind awareness not only through its fine scotch but also in the way the company communicates.

The Facebook Bot is a Natural Fit

A Facebook chatbot was a natural for Macallan because the company knows that those same Millennials they’re trying to reach with innovative techniques also are more likely to engage with a channel they’re already on—and chances are very good they can be found on Facebook. Hello, smarty pants.

What in the world is a cask? What pairs well with Scotch whisky at the end of a long day? These are just a couple of the questions the Macallan chatbot answers. The ultimate goal, of course, is to encourage purchases, so the chatbot will gladly comply by providing location information to consumers.

Engagement Equals Sales

So far it’s been a success with over 1,600 engagements with the Mcallan chatbot in just two weeks. “The ultimate goal is to purchase, even if it isn’t an immediate purchase,” said Samantha Leotta, the head of digital marketing at Macallan. “We’ll use this to inform our other channels.”

The chatbot aims to answer questions about the brand in an effort to further their story. Source.

When it comes to scotch—or any product, really—Millennials love a good story, and the Macallan chatbot doesn’t disappoint. “Macallan has a rich story about how they make its whisky, and people are genuinely interested,” said Leotta. Macallan is also banking on the burgeoning interest in whiskies right now and is happy to ride that wave.

The launch of the Macallan chatbot has been deliciously smooth, balanced with just the right notes of smoky storytelling and very probably destined to delight consumers for many years to come. Maybe the next step will be a chatbot with a Scottish accent.